KING IN THE NORTH
chapter 1 Mara

"Why are you in the woods?" asked the young man after getting closer and opening his hood.

"Looks like it's none of your business, what are you doing yourself? "They asked back.

"Because I don't want people to catch me."

"Catch you !!!" Mara narrowed her eyes in surprise, "what are you doing?"

"What do you think I want to hide in the woods for?" asked the young man in riddles.

Mara's brain is like spinning faster than gasing, Oh... That's very clear..

"You stole!!! " guess Mara sepontan, waiting for the reaction of the young man who actually seemed not disturbed at all with his opinion..

It seems his guess is right.... Because it feels impossible if the young man also runs away from the forest to avoid arranged marriages like himself.

Marra simply could not believe that the kind-hearted young man who had pinned his horse when it was mired in the mud a few months ago was a thief !!!, mara's quite alert instincts reacted spontaneously to take some distance.

"Why are you afraid of me? I'm a thief not a kidnapper or a rapist," the young man casually walked back up to his horse and dropped off some items with a thud on the ground.

"What are you doing? "

Mara felt like she was repeating the same question.

The young man walked back to him.

"I can keep you company, and I don't think I need to make a campfire anymore."

the young man walked past Mara just like that then dropped back his luggage which seemed quite heavy near his nearly extinguished bonfire. He tried to revive the fire with some dry twigs that had been prepared Mara. While Mara herself is still standing and confused why she suddenly has to be in the forest with a young man she just found out he was a thief.

"Why don't you make your own campfire! "

"I'm too tired I'd rather sleep than make a fire again." The young man looked at Mara and almost smiled, "Let me not disturb you, have we not spent the night before, either" the young man pretended to notice her with a frown, "don't tell me this time you're lost again" guessing it like deliberately mocking Mara.

Mara felt she would run out of energy if she had to argue.

"It's up to you that if you just want to sleep, you better go to bed," Mara snorted when she put her dagger back on, the girl slipped it back on the right waist, just to be careful "remember how he's a thief."

"Thank you," the young man smiled again and it felt a bit annoying for Mara.

Mara deliberately took the distance as far as possible while sitting.

"You want to?" the young man pulled some bread from the package beside him.

Mara still looked at him doubtfully.

"You don't have to worry, I bought it from the proceeds of exchanging game animals instead of stealing."

Actually, it was not too much trouble for Mara because she knew her stomach was already very wanted. Marra is just not used to receiving food from strangers.

"Thank you," but this time she was forced, Mara immediately welcomed the young man's gift and immediately bit him.

Not usually just a loaf of bread can feel so depraved for Mara who is still busy chewing quickly.

"You can take it again if you like," the young man tried to offer him his ration.

Honestly Mara is still very hungry but it feels very disrespectful.

"Actually I had already eaten," said the young man quite generously.

Ignoring her embarrassment, Mara completely finished the bread.

"You want to drink" the young man returned his bottle, even Mara snatched it away without even turning her head.

"Why did you steal? " all of a sudden Mara asked, "I think you're a good young man."

"My name is Theo did you forget?" correction the young man because since Marra had not mentioned his name at all, honestly the girl did not really care to remember him but this time Mara really began to pay attention to the young man in front of her.

"Sometimes life isn't easy, and everyone has their reasons" it seems the young man deliberately chose a short answer to keep Marra quiet.

"Ok, if you don't want others to know your reasons," Mara suddenly feels Theo is right, not everyone has to tell her why, just like how suddenly he was in a place like this.

"Sorry, you don't have to say anything" Mara tried to ignore. "Thank you for the food" Mara closed, trying to end the conversation.

Theo was still watching as the girl returned the bottle, Theo grabbed the bottle with his left hand, then rearranged their campfire to keep it burning. If ignoring her upset feelings actually Mara still thinks she remains a good inner young man Mara.

The night was getting late, then only the sounds of insects and the howls of night animals filled their silence. It still feels very strange for Marra even though this is not the first time they have been forced to spend the night together in the forest, occasionally they only saw each other among the dim light of the campfire that helped warm their faces both in awkwardness.

"Actually I like a girl" the young man opened the conversation.

"You mean you're stealing for a girl?" guess Mara, cliche.

"It seems so," Theo nodded and smiled.

Mara is still inexhaustible, Theo is a good young man and not too bad, if to be honest he is handsome very handsome maybe, "You can get any girl without having to steal."

"Maybe, but what if what I want isn't an ordinary girl."

Mara's forehead started to wrinkle deeply, "His family is rich you think? " oh, it's so tragic Mara's mind if that's true.

"Not only that, she is also a Princess."

Mara who was like a will, suddenly stood up from her seat ....

"I think you're smart," corrects Marra still while standing in front of Theo "you're collecting stolen treasure to propose to a Princess... That's so stupid!!!"

"Falling in Love sometimes does make a fool of Mara," replied Theo who just looked up casually from his seat.

"That's ridiculous" Mara tepis, but on the other hand Mara suddenly started thinking "lucky enough," that she was clearly not so lucky, Mara only bit her lower lip as she sat back down and still noticed Theo. Mara was just in disbelief when she looked at the face of the young man in front of her, because she seemed to be earnest with her words.

"I'm sorry I just thought no princess would want to live with a stolen treasure" Mara just tried to remind her of reality.

"Maybe you're right, a princess must still want a white riding prince."

It was ridiculous, because Mara felt like she was reminded back of her own naivety. Although Mara realized the white riding prince is only a fairy tale and a joke, but what's wrong if sometimes he also likes to fantasize.

"I'm sure the good princess will be able to hear your sincerity."

"Good daughter" repeated Theo .." I hope you're right."

Somehow the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat moving.

"Snow calm down," Theo tried to rebuke his horse which began to fidget.

"Name Snow? " Tanya Mara was astonished, and Theo just nodded.

"You're naming snow on your black horse?" correction Mara, she is completely inexhaustible ....

"What's your horse's name? " Theo asked back.

"In the Hole," while pointing at her horse "Hole from the black hole," Mara added so proud of her horse's name.

Mara looked back at the young man in front of her, "Wait, let me guess," paused Mara, "Snow, from Snow White? "

It was very laughable but strangely Theo seemed still quite confident, although Mara was sure he was right, "That's ridiculous! " emphasis Mara ....

Instead Theo laughed, "Don't I still dream of finding a Princess in the middle of the forest."

Mara slumped back, and Theo held out his bottle without any guilt.

"It looks like I got you back to wrenching twice today."

*****